Top Mail Marketing Stats of 2015

The year is winding down (Or just getting started, depending on your marketing calendar), and it feels like the perfect weather to sit in front of your laptop with a mug of tea and a nice end-of-year wrap up list. We can't provide you with the tea, but we can provide the list.

Here are some of our favorite statistics from 2015, showing off the power of print, even fifteen years into the 21st century. Click the links for sources, and tell us in the comments what Direct Mail statistics stood out to you, this year.

$46 billion was the amount U.S. organizations spent on direct mail in 2014—up from $44.8 billion in 2013. $9.3 billion is the estimated amount organizations will spend on data for direct mail in 2015, an increase over the previous two years.  

42% of recipients read or scan direct mail pieces. 

14.1% of individuals age 45-54 respond to direct mail pieces, making them the demographic most likely to respond. 

92% of young shoppers say they prefer direct mail for making purchasing decisions. 

70% of Americans say mail is more personal than the internet. 

76% of small businesses say their ideal marketing strategy encompasses a combination of both print and digital communication. 

98% of consumers bring in their mail the day it’s delivered.  

Consumers who received offline direct mail advertisements were able to recall 75% of the time.

Direct mail ads take 21% less cognitive effort to process compared to same ads on digital media.

Direct mail averages a 3.7% response rate with a house list (across all industries).

 

 

From Purely Mobile to Purely Print - How Uber Markets Through Mail

In case you're not familiar, here's a quick crash course on Uber. Essentially a car-and-driver hire service, Uber is a mobile app that allows smart phone owners to instantly order a driver to pick them up and drop them off pretty much anywhere - essentially a taxi service without all that waving your hand in the street nonsense. Because of their simple app interface, polite and friendly drivers, and low rates, the service has taken the world by storm, and has even caused riots and protests from cab drivers in Europe.

But, much like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, a successful brand can't just sit on their hands. Marketing is a 365-day cycle that can't afford to take success for granted.

So, clever marketers working with Uber have decided to go after the consumers that are perhaps less likely to live staring at their Twitter streams and mobile apps. Through a minimal print marketing campaign, Uber is reaching out to consumers where they live, with a mailer that mimics the simple appearance of their mobile app, and the clean lines of their web branding.

It just goes to show - no matter how entrenched in the web your service is, there is still value in print.

What Can Direct Mail Learn from Email?

Doing some reading and research, recently, we found this list from Digital Marketer, showcasing the best and worst email subject lines they had seen over their years of experience. The full list is worth reading, but what stood out to us were a few of the topics they believe are necessary elements of any successful email campaign. Here are three of the eight elements they suggest:

1 – Self-Interest
These are your bread and butter subject lines – you should be using them most frequently.
They are usually direct and speak to a specific benefit your audience will gain by opening the email. Self-interest subject lines also help pre-qualify openers by giving them a clue about your email’s body content.

2 – Curiosity
If self-interest subject lines work because they communicate a direct benefit of opening the email, curiosity-based ones succeed for the exact opposite reason. These peak the interest of subscribers without giving away too much information, leading to higher opens. Be careful though, because curiosity-based subject lines can get old fast and are the most likely to miss their mark.

3 – Offer
Do you like free stuff?  Do you like to buy things?
So does your email list. When you are giving something away or selling something your subscribers would be interested in, directly stating that in your subject line is a great way to convince them to open the email and learn more.

Notice anything?

These same topics and talking points would be just as at-home in a direct mail piece as they are in email. Really, what it comes down to is simple human nature. As much as some of us may not want to admit it, people are typically pretty predictable. By grabbing a consumer's interest with an eye-catching package, envelope, or postcard, you can dramatically improve the success of whatever piece of marketing that package is holding.

Simply sticking a coupon into a plain white envelope is not enough (except when it's exactly what's called for), and smart marketers and business owners are taking the extra time to develop more complex and interesting ways to deliver their marketing materials to their customers.

For the latest advances in print marketing, and information on how to take your mail pieces to the next level, contact us at 866.872.9249 or at info@trayinc.com

A Little Experience Goes A Long Way

When it comes to the world of marketing, there's a lot to be said for experience in the field. Over the years, Tray Inc. has had the privilege of working with - and learning from - some of the biggest and best brands here in Baltimore, and across the country.

Our client relationships are more than just a list of logos and past accomplishments. Each account we've worked with, and each campaign we've helped developed is another piece of experience that impacts all of the work we do today, and all of the work we'll do in the future.

No matter the size or limits of your campaigns, the knowledge and expertise our team brings to the table includes the building blocks of triumphs and failures that have gotten us to where we are today. We know what works, what doesn't, and when to flex our muscles and push the tools and options of direct mail even further.

The Old Gray Mare - Finding New Ways to Succeed With Print Marketing

If you want to prove that print marketing isn't effective anymore, all you have to do is trot out an old played-out idea, and point at it's failings as proof that paper just doesn't hold weight, anymore.

But that's cheating - right?

Print marketing, like any marketing, thrives on creativity and innovation. Full page newspaper ads and cheaply-made postcards probably don't win over many new consumers. On the other hand, Milton Berle slipping product placement into a TV variety show probably doesn't do a lot anymore, either.

The real marketing success today are wholly unique, and eye-catching, regardless of what medium they're created in. The latest viral YouTube hit isn't relying on old boring ideas - so why should your print efforts fall back on old standbys? If your marketing is constantly going back to the same well of ideas, time and time again, it's time to start looking at the future.

At Tray, we strive to take the execution of print marketing off of your plate, so you can devote more time and head space to coming up with something new - something exciting.

After all, content is still king - a brilliant, thoughtful idea will always be successful. Our business is to help turn your brilliant ideas into a well-executed strategy. Talk to us today to find out how.

Start The Presses: The Resurrection of Print Catalogs

If you've been following your competition, it should be no surprise that catalogs are back in a big way. Once considered old fashioned, many major brands - including top retailers - are going back to the books to attract new customers. What started as a kitsch trend to appeal to hipsters and tactile-loving indie shoppers has caught on once again with everyone from millenials to boomers.

So what's inspiring this sudden return to traditional marketing?

According to Harvard Business Review, it may simply be a sign of the improving economy.

But then the Great Recession hit, and retailers looking to trim their expenditures cut catalog budgets.  With the concurrent rise in online sales and marketing, print media seemed like a waste.  Although some holdouts remained (notably, Patagonia and Brookstone), catalog circulation continued to decline for the next several years.  According to the DMA, in 2012 mailings dropped to its lowest level since it began collecting annual data in 2001.The recent resurgence in the popularity of catalogs raises questions about their value and long-term viability.  Is the latest rebirth of the catalog merely a reflection of the Great Recession’s conclusion? Will they once again fall out of fashion at the first sign of softness in the market?

We have a somewhat more optimistic view. Here are our top three reasons catalogs are back in style:

1. Brands that utilize all marketing channels are more successful than those that limit themselves to one area.

This shouldn't be surprising, right? The more audiences you speak to, the greater your chances of success.

2. Catalogs provide consumers with a physical reminder of your brand.

Emails can be deleted easily. Social media posts can be hidden and ignored. Catalogs are a physical object. Even if consumers are immediately discarding a catalog, they are still pulling it out of a mailbox, looking at it, and carrying it somewhere else. The more time they spend with that book, the more likely they are to open it.

3. Catalogs feel more valuable than digital communications.

Today's consumer knows that printed materials aren't free. A brand that puts the time and investment into developing a catalog (particularly one that feels tailored to the consumer) is a brand showcasing their value and worth to the people that receive it. It makes your brand feel more real, more trustworthy, than digital-only competitors.

So, what do you think is causing this resurgence of catalog marketing? When you're ready to print your own, give us a call - we've got the experience to lead you through this new (old) trend.

The Word of the Day: Integrate

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: The secret to marketing success is cohesion. Ensuring that your print, digital, social, and even broadcast advertising acts as a cohesive unit is both the most important, and most complicated, aspect of your marketing strategy.

Today, we’re going to look at building cohesion between two marketing tactics on opposite sides of that spectrum: Social Media, and Print Marketing.

Adding Social Media to Your Print Marketing

Despite all of the predictions, complaints, and marketing criticisms, Social Media has proven that it isn’t going away any time soon. Consumers are more active on social channels today than they ever have been before. In fact, many marketing experts claim that social media has given consumers control over your brand, and that social advocacy is the real secret to winning word-of-mouth business in the new marketplace.

But how can you incorporate social into an ongoing marketing plan?

Your customers can be your best sellers, so why not put them to work for you. Select a few online reviews of your product or service from your Facebook or Twitter page, and include them on your next mailer. Not only will this help show off your existing brand advocates, but it will help drive traffic back to your social media channels – and thus to your website.

Adding Print Marketing to Your Social Media

There’s a reason the hashtag is still such a popular tool. It’s easy to use, it’s universally-recognized, and it’s the easiest way to add a social component to any marketing piece.

Including a branded hashtag or Twitter handle on printed flyers, bumper stickers, postcards, or envelopes gives people new ways to interact with your brand. Even if a consumer doesn’t remember your website URL from that sticker they saw on the back of a Jeep in a parking lot, chances are they’ll remember your hashtag.

Now that you’ve got their attention, your social media channels do the rest – pushing out branded messaging that users can engage with on their own time.

The Perfectly Planned Direct Mail Timeline

Gearing up for a new direct mail campaign? As we’re sure you know, there is a lot that needs to happen between the time you settle on a new campaign and the minute that mailer hits the mailbox. With so many moving pieces, launching a new campaign can quickly become overwhelming. The best way to reduce stress and stay on track? A perfectly planned timeline for your direct mail campaign.

Here’s how:

1.) Keep Seasonality in Mind

Timing is everything. Think about the product you’re promoting. Would it best be served at a certain time of you or in a particular season? Heating an insulation services, for example, are best marketed just as the weather starts to cool down. Always keep seasonality, as well as holidays, in mind.

2.) Think Outside the Envelope

Roughly four months from the time you plan to send your new mailers, set aside some time for a solid brainstorming session. What are the goals of your campaign? Is there a promotion or event you can organize to help you attain it? Do you want to use a unique feature or freemiums to draw attention to your mailer? Get creative and take good notes!

3.) Spend Some Time with Your Database

Here’s a fun-filled fact you may not have known - it costs roughly six times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an old one. So, don’t limit yourself, and your chances of success, to strictly new audiences. It’s important to make sure any and all past customers are included on your mailing list. If enhancing that database is simply too overwhelming or time consuming for you, no problem! A qualified professional can help you create a comprehensive list and find the most cost effective way to deliver your pieces.

4.) The Early Bird Gets the Win

At least two months in advance of the target delivery date, get in touch with a professional print company. You don’t want to wait until the last minute and risk missing the target delivery date, or worse yet, compromising quality in order to meet time constraints! The success of your mail campaign relies on perfect timing, and that means timely delivery of mailing lists, due dates, target delivery dates, and artwork sent in a compatible format. It takes time to review those materials and generate a time estimate.

5.) Review the Blueline More Than Once

After receiving your artwork and files, you’ll receive a blueline and color proof that will need to be reviewed and approved. It is vital that you set aside a good amount of time to thoroughly review it, because any errors on the blueline will end up on your printed materials. Pay attention to everything you see – copy, line breaks, page breaks, borders and cropping. Aim to have the blueline reviewed and approved about 45 days before it’s due to be sent out.

6. Gather, Measure, Repeat

Once your mailers hit the post truck, the tough part is over and done. Congratulations, you did it! Now all that’s left to do is measure the response rates. You can expect the biggest boom in the first two weeks after delivery, but leads may trickle in for up to six months afterward. Use your measurements to gauge how successful your campaign was and how you can use those results to improve your next one.

How do you organize a campaign timeline? If you have any other tips or suggestions, tell us in the comments! 

Ways to Save on Your Next Direct Mail Campaign

Despite what the rumors might have you believe, direct mail is far from dead. In fact, with 92%of Millennials preferring to read something in traditional print over its digital counterpart, it’s quite the opposite. Given the right planning and execution, a direct mail campaign can produce incredible results for businesses of any industry and size. The trick is figuring out how to create an effective, compelling and unique campaign suited to your business’s needs without breaking the bank.

Here are some ways you can save on your next direct mail campaign:

Spend Some Time on Your List

It’s not good enough just to have a list. It has to be a smart list if you want it to be effective. That means creating an up to date list that is targeted at an identified and responsive audience. Updates to your mailing list should be done yearly in order to keep it in top shape for every campaign. Remember, your campaign is only as good as your list.

Set a Budget and Learn to Compromise

Nobody likes the word budget, but alas there comes a time when we all must adhere to one. Creating a new direct mail campaign is one such time. Set a clear-cut budget and stick to it. That may mean you need to be willing to compromise on certain aspects on your mailer, as some materials and mailer dimensions may put you in the red. When working with a tight budget, talk to a professional print company about how you may be able to create the best quality mailers at the best price.

Don’t Eat Up Man Hours Internally

Even if this is not your first time creating a direct mail campaign, attempting to keep your efforts in-house may prove to be more hassle than expected. After all, you already have a job to perform, so the less time you or your staff spends on marketing tasks, the more time there will be to focus on other priorities.  Not to mention, a professional print company can bring years of experience and expertise to your campaign, optimizing it to reach its highest potential and therefore giving you more bang for your buck.

Do you have any other tried and true tactics that your business uses to save on direct mail campaigns? Share them with us in the comments! 

Direct Mail Tips for Non-Profits

If you’re working with a non-profit organization, chances are you already know that the company purse strings are tight. The restraints of a small budget means that your marketing efforts need to pack a punch. Direct mail is the perfect outlet to accomplish that goal. Nearly one-fifth of all donations are attributed to direct mailing, so make sure that your DM pieces are as effective as possible with these how-to tips:

Newsletters are Important

This is key for all non-profits, but especially if your organization is small or just getting on its feet. Write a semi-annual or quarterly newsletter with updates on current events and activities, donor contributions and how they've helped the organization to get closer to the goal, and donation information. And always be sure to include an addressed return envelope to encourage donations.

Personalize Your Pieces

Want to up the chances of getting a tangible reaction out of prospecting? Write for the target audience rather than taking a broad all-encompassing approach. Add personal touches such as hand written signatures or a short letter from the president of the company. If possible, always finish off each year with a holiday card and thank you notes to donors and volunteers.

Don’t Neglect Past Donors

Repeat after me, your housefile is always important. If you don’t already know, a housefile is the list of any and all former contributors. Make sure to include it any time you run a direct mail campaign. The people on that list have donated in the past because they cared about your organizations goals and the chances are they probably still do. Stay in touch.

Measure, Measure, Measure

Measuring the success of your mailers is vital to both the organizations goals and its bottom line. Rather than spending the money to send your mailers out to thousands of prospects and hoping for positive return, choose a small portion of the group to send the mailers to first. See what the reaction is. If it’s not what you’d hoped for, revise the mailers wording, theme, appearance, etc. You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t and you’ll have saved some precious marketing dollars.

The Secrets to Getting More of Your Mailers Opened

Of course we all want every mailer sent out to be opened and adored by potential customers, but unfortunately we can’t pin the success of a mailer (or a business, for that matter) on hopes and dreams alone. Rather, it takes hard work, great data, and a few tips from our list of best kept secrets on how to get more of your direct mail pieces gaining the attention they deserve.

1. Be Useful

You’re great at multitasking, right? Why shouldn’t your mailer be, too? Beyond your company information or a great offer, give consumers another reason to keep your mailer around by making it useful. Give it dual purpose by providing your information and call-to-action on something that can also be used in other areas of consumer lives, say for instance, a task sheet or to-do list. Be as creative as you want with it. Just make it useful.

2. Go in Strong

Easing in on your consumers is overrated. Start strong. Lead your mailer with the offer or value up front. You have only a small window of time to catch a consumer before their attention is shifted elsewhere. It’s the first thing the consumer will see and may be all you have time to squeeze in, so lead with your best offer.

3. Lumpy Packages Get Opened More Often

Simply put, make your mailer lumpy. The allure of what’s causing the envelope to be misshapen is too much to be passed over by many consumers. It may seem silly, but the near 100% open rate isn’t. Trust us, lumpy is good.

4. Be Unique

Gather your team for a brainstorm session and get your creative juices flowing. How can you deliver the message of your mailer in a more creative way? Think outside the box. If it costs a little more than usual, don’t fear it. Just be smart and reduce the amount of prospects you send to – in this case, it’s about quality, not quantity.

5. Create Lasting Power

The easiest way to linger in a prospects home? A small tchotchke, but as stated in Secret #1, make it useful - a branded pen, a magnet, etc. Your prospect may throw out the mailer, but they’ll likely hold onto the token, so even if you don’t receive business immediately from it, you’re business’s name is being seen over the long haul. 

What’s Trending for Direct Mail in 2015?

 No matter what industry you’re in, December marks the start of some deep thinking over the same question – what does the year ahead look like? We look back at the months long gone, we rattle our brains over what it all means for the future, but it’s not always easy to read the signs. So, in this blog post, we’re going to take the guesswork out of it for you and break down 2015’s direct mail trends. Happy reading!

Trend #1: You Are Here

Directions are a lot easier to understand if you know exactly where you’re beginning. In the case of a potential customer, that would be their home. Cue the individualized maps! If you’ve planned to include a map in your DM pieces to show a particular end point, why not go the extra mile and show just how to get there, too? Variable data can be used to create a detailed “You Are Here” map that can be tailored to each prospects whereabouts. Just imagine the foot traffic that extra step could drive!

Trend #2: Seek Out the Ladies

This is the new golden rule for non-profits, in particular. Earlier this year, data was released showing that 64% of all charitable gifts are made by women. Not only are they more likely to donate, the data also revealed that women are more likely to make larger donations than their male counterparts, as well. That doesn’t mean you should tailor your whole campaign to appeal to a female audience, but just keep the ladies in mind. They’re going to be your friends in 2015.

Trend #3: Multiply Your Efforts

There are some things in life that are just better when there’s more.  Marketing is one of those things, and this year we can expect to see more businesses combiningdigital and traditional marketing efforts to make a greater impact on their prospects. It’s easy enough to do with the quick addition of QR codes or PURLs, so do yourself a favor and give it a chance. We’re guessing you’ll be happy with the results.

Trend #4: Look Pretty

Yep, it’s as easy as that – beautify your DM pieces. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to add flowery elements or swap your typeface out for something long and curvy. Think clean, classy and visually appealing. For a more subtle change, a simple colorswap could make your message more powerful. Most things in modern life are cluttered enough, do yourself (and your prospects) a favor by de-cluttering your mailer and putting the emphasis on simplicity.

 Trend #5: Adding In the Icons

When we say icons, we of course mean the modern pictograms representing Facebook, Twitter, and other social channels. In the digital age, those little icons have become powerful tools of communication. Their presence is a call-to-action in a sense. It says quickly and quietly to a prospect that they can still find your business on X,Y, and Z networks if they toss your mailer. That’s one more way to grab the attention of potential customers without compromising much space, so why wouldn’t you add your icons?

So, how will you use these trending tactics? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! 

University of Oregon's Marcus Mariota Wins The 2014 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award®

University of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota has won The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award^Ò, presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica to the nation’s top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement.

After 14 weeks of play, Mariota has completed 229 of 334 passes for 3,470 yards (69% completion rate) throwing for 48 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions and a QB rating of 190.2. The Honolulu native led the Pac-12 quarterbacks in rushing yards with 636. Mariota ranks fifth in the nation in total offense, averaging 342.2 yards per game and he has been selected as the Pac-12 offensive player of the year.

“Marcus is as humble and gracious off the field as he is poised and electrifying on it,” said Andy McNamara, Assistant Athletic Director for the University of Oregon. “He is an exceptional ambassador for not just the football program, but the University of Oregon as a whole.”

Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.

With the season coming to an end, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. would like to thank longtime partner Transamerica, as well as 120 Sports, a first-of-its-kind live-streaming digital sports video programming network, in promoting this prestigious honor. As the media partner, the goal at 120 Sports will be to tell the stories that surround the selection of candidates, profiling their football career and community involvement as a member of their football program.

Mariota’s achievements will be honored on Friday, December 12, in Baltimore, MD. For the 2014 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica are happy to be returning to The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel and Grand Historic Venue. NFL Hall of Famer, former Baltimore Colt, and the great Johnny Unitas’ favorite target – Raymond Berry – will deliver the keynote remarks at this year’s event.

Past Golden Arm Award winners include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); and Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011).

Proceeds from the event help support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

In addition to Transamerica, sponsors of the Golden Arm Award include: Andretti Sports Marketing, Athlon Sports, 120 Sports, The Babe Ruth and Sports Legends Museum, Baltimore Sun Media Group, Bloomberg Television, Century Engineering, Coach for America, Comcast, Dunbar Armored and Dunbar Cybersecurity, The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel and Grand Historic Venue, Haddock Investments, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Metropolis Funding, PSAV, Panini, SILKS, Tray Inc., The Scott Garceau Show, MedStar Union Memorial Sports Medicine, VPC Inc., Weiss PR, Woodberry Kitchen, Wilson Sporting Goods, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.

To learn more about The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award^Ò visit:

http://www.transamerica.com/about_us/johnny_unitas_golden_arm_award.asp 

http://www.goldenarmfoundation.com/

Additionally, please follow the conversation on Twitter: @GoldenArmAward or use the hashtag, #GoldenArmAward.

The Hottest Holiday Direct Mail Tactics This Season

Holiday mailing is in full effect! But, if you’re like many businesses, you may only be on your second or even first round of mailers. Don’t worry, that’s good news! It means there’s still time to perfect the ideal seasonal direct mail piece. Perhaps you know that your mailer is tried, tested and true, but if it’s time to switch up your methodology, take a beat from these on-trend tactics:

1. Medium Is In

Medium-sized direct mail pieces are winning the show. Since 2010, nearly 71% of mailed offers were medium in size, one third of which used a #10 envelope. The trend is sure to continue through the holiday season. Medium pieces are big enough to stand out amongst other items, but not so large that they become a nuisance in the mailbox (It also doesn’t hurt they they’re healthier for your budget, too).

2. Make a Statement

Yes, of course, a clear call-to-action should always be a key component to your mailer, but that’s not the kind of statement we’re talking about here. If you consider the fact that your mailer is sure to be just one of many in a colorful stack of holiday mailers, it becomes clear why it’s that much more important to make a strong statement with the mailer itself. Think bright colors, catchy phrases, unique shapes, or a haptic element – anything to stand out and make your piece more unique.

3. Give Consumers a Present

It is the season of giving after all! Give your consumers, or potential consumers, a gift! Whether that come in the form of tempting discounts, offers, or a small item sent with your direct mail piece. In the words of Don Corleone, “…Make him an offer can’t refuse.”

4. Mail Frequently

Once is nice, but twice is better, three and they’ll finally buy that Christmas sweater. Okay, okay, we just made up that saying, but it fits the moral of point number four well. Consumers are being bombarded with offers during the holiday season so be sure to mail regularly to keep your business fresh in the mind.

We want to know – what tactics are you planning to use in your holiday mailers this season? Tell us in the comments! 

Five Finalists Remain For The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

The annual competition to select the top college quarterback in the nation has been narrowed from an original field of 27 to five finalists for The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Named after the man many refer to as the greatest quarterback ever to play the game of football, the prestigious Golden Arm Award is presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica.

The five finalists for 2014 Golden Arm Award are:

• Brett Hundley (UCLA) – After 10 weeks of play, Hundley has completed 191 of 269 passes for 2,245 yards (71% completion rate) throwing for 15 touchdowns with just 4 interceptions and a QB rating of 151.5.
• Cody Kessler (USC) – After 10 weeks of play, Kessler has completed 207 of 297 passes for 2,548 yards (69.7% completion rate) throwing for 25 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions and a QB rating of 157.5.
• Marcus Mariota (Oregon) – After 10 weeks of play, Mariota has completed 169 of 248 passes for 2,541 yards (68.1% completion rate) throwing for 26 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions and a QB rating of 171.1.
• Bryce Petty (Baylor) – After 10 weeks of play, Petty has completed 132 of 241 passes for 2,034 yards (54.8% completion rate) throwing for 20 touchdowns with just 3 interceptions and a QB rating of 165.7.
• Dak Prescott (Mississippi State) – After 10 weeks of play, Prescott has completed 131 of 215 passes for 2,016 yards (60.9% completion rate) throwing for 16 touchdowns with 7 interceptions and a QB rating of 141.8.

 

Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.

 

This season, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. has again teamed with longtime partner Transamerica, as well as 120 Sports, a first-of-its-kind live-streaming digital sports video programming network, in promoting this prestigious honor. As the media partner, the goal at 120 Sports will be to tell the stories that surround the selection of candidates, profiling their football career and community involvement as a member of their football program. We are very excited about this partnership.

 

NFL Hall of Famer, former Baltimore Colt, and the great Johnny Unitas’ favorite target – Raymond Berry – will deliver the keynote remarks at this year’s Golden Arm Award ceremony.

 

Past Golden Arm Award winners include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); and Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011). 

 

Proceeds from the event help support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

 

This year’s winner will be announced on December 8, 2014 and The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, December 12, in Baltimore, MD. For the 2014 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica are happy to be returning to The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue.

 

In addition to Transamerica, sponsors of the Golden Arm Award include: Andretti Sports Marketing, Athlon Sports, 120 Sports, The Babe Ruth and Sports Legends Museum, Baltimore Sun Media Group, Bloomberg Television, Century Engineering, Coach for America, Comcast, Dunbar Armored and Dunbar Cybersecurity, The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, Haddock Investments, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Metropolis Funding, PSAV, Panini, SILKS, TRAY, The Scott Garceau Show, MedStar Union Memorial Sports Medicine, VPC Inc., Weiss PR, Woodberry Kitchen, Wilson Sporting Goods, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.

 

To learn more about The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ visit:

http://www.transamerica.com/about_us/johnny_unitas_golden_arm_award.asp 

http://www.goldenarmfoundation.com/

 

Additionally, please follow the conversation on Twitter: @GoldenArmAward or use the hashtag, #GoldenArmAward.

Make the Most of Your Print Marketing – Track It!

What’s your most successful print piece? Could you say without a doubt, or would it all be a guessing game? If you’re unsure where and how your ad dollars are going, it’s time to learn one of the most important tricks of the trade – tracking your print marketing ROI.

Check your call-to-action. What do you want your prospects to do with your print piece? How strong is the message, and is it clear enough that recipients will know what to do next? The call-to-action is vital and will serve as the core of your ROI tracking efforts. Be sure to include it on any and all promotional pieces.

Choose your tracking strategy. There are many choices when it comes to tracking the source of sales and leads. However, some of the most popular, and most successful, include customized website landing pages, QR codes, and coupon or promo codes tied to special offers.

Set up a control. In order to set a control, you need to track all of your print pieces at the get-go to see which campaigns are most successful and which are not. That way when it comes time to re-order from your print company, you know which offer performed best and can use it as the control piece. Now all that’s left to do is make adjustments to the weaker pieces using a new code.  

At the end of the new campaign, compare the results against the control. If the new campaign has performed better, it will replace the old control and the next campaign will be run alongside it to try to further improve response rates and ROI.

The Big How-To. Ok, now that you know what the basics, here’s how to track your ROI:

1.       Website Responses

·         Track web responses through PURLs (personalized landing pages), complete with a code customized for each user. PURLs can help guarantee more consistency between print and electronic media, but you can also use analytic tools, such as Google Analytics, to track the flow of the customer buying process.

2.       Response Codes

·         QRcodes, coupons and promos can all be used to track responses. The best way to encourage prospects to actually use them? Offer them something good. The better the offer, the more likely consumers are to use them, which in turn means, the more clear your ROI results will be.

Bonus Tip: When handing out materials, use a location-specific code so that you can see which regions are most responsive to your product or service.

So remember, get cracking on your ROI tracking and soon you’ll be seeing the fiscal rewards!

Do you have a great tip or strategy on tracking ROI you’d like to share? Tell us in the comments!

The 2014 List Of Candidates For The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Cut To 15

The initial Top 27 Watch List for The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ in 2014 has been reduced to 15 of the country’s top college quarterbacks.

  

Remaining candidates for the prestigious annual award – named after the man many refer to as the greatest quarterback ever to play the game of football – are:

  

• Anthony Boone, Duke
• Shane Carden, East Carolina
• Rakeem Cato, Marshall
• Connor Cook, Michigan State
• Cody Fajardo, Nevada
• Connor Halliday, Washington State
• Kevin Hogan, Stanford
• Brett Hundley, UCLA
• Cody Kessler, USC
• Sean Mannion, Oregon State
• Marcus Mariota, Oregon
• Bryce Petty, Baylor
• Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
• Jake Rudock, Iowa
• Bo Wallace, Ole Miss

 

  

The Golden Arm Award is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica. The award has been presented at the end of each season since 1987 to the nations top college quarterback, based on his accomplishments both on and off the field.

 

 

“The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ considers character, citizenship, integrity, leadership, and honor – characteristics that were displayed by my father and are highly valued by Transamerica– to be every bit as important as the quarterback’s completion rate or number of touchdowns scored,” says John C. Unitas, Jr., President of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc.

 

 

This season, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. has again teamed with longtime partner Transamerica, as well as 120 Sports, a first-of-its-kind live-streaming digital sports video programming network, in promoting this prestigious honor. As the media partner, the goal at 120 Sports will be to tell the stories that surround the selection of candidates, profiling their football career and community involvement as a member of their football program. We are very excited about this partnership.

 

 

In 2014, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, December 12, in Baltimore, MD. For the 2014 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica are happy to be returning to The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue.

 

 

Proceeds from the event help support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

 

 

The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

 

 

Unitas was inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame in 1979. The Hall of Fame, in commemorations of the NFL’s 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries selected Unitas as the top quarterback of all-time. In turn-of-the-century listings, he was named to Sports Illustrated’s list of top 10 athletes, Time Magazine’s list of 10 most influential athletes, and ESPN’s series on the 50 greatest athletes of the century

 

 

“Despite my Dad’s outstanding accomplishments, he never forgot his humble beginnings and that won him a permanent place in the hearts of everyone who ever knew him,” says Unitas, Jr. “Giving life to his commitment to ‘give back,’ the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. was established to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young athletes.”

 

 

In addition to Transamerica, sponsors of the Golden Arm Award include: Andretti Sports Marketing, Athlon Sports, 120 Sports, The Babe Ruth and Sports Legends Museum, Baltimore Sun Media Group, Bloomberg Television, Century Engineering, Coach for America, Comcast, Dunbar Armored and Dunbar Digital Armor, The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, Haddock Investments, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Metropolis Funding, PSAV, Panini, Tray Inc., The Scott Garceau Show, MedStar Union Memorial Sports Medicine, VPC Inc., Weiss PR, Woodberry Kitchen, Wilson Sporting Goods, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.

 

 

  
To learn more about The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, visit:

http://www.transamerica.com/about_us/johnny_unitas_golden_arm_award.asp 

http://www.goldenarmfoundation.com/


Join the conversation on Twitter at #GoldenArmAward

Tray Inc. Joins Monumental Sports as Print Partner

Tray Inc. is pleased to announce partnership with Monumental Sports:

"We are proud and delighted to be associated with Monumental Sports and its tradition of excellence in the DC area," said Brian Burlace President and Chief Executive Officer, Tray Inc. "We look forward to using our extensive array of printing resources as we work to support their exceptional brands. We are an ideal match for their many events that demand high quality and quick turn times."

Thank you to Bob Rossi for the warm welcome!

I am pleased to have Tray Inc. join the Monumental Sports team as a valued print partner for the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics. Tray has been a terrific company for over 44 years in the D.C metro area. I am looking forward to working very closely with Tray to enhance and deliver our branded messages. Tray will produce all of our Capitals and Wizards game day programs as well as assist us with our everyday needs such as concourse signage, commercial printing and promotional products. We look forward to a long partnership with the Tray team.

 - Bob Rossi Director, Corporate Partnerships at Monumental Sports & Entertainment

 

L to R: Barry Trotz, Mile Thibault, Michael Mollot, John Long, Randy Wittman

 

 

That’s a Wrap – Time to Prepare for the Holidays

Summer is on its way out the door, so you have a plan for holiday season, right? “But, it’s only September?!” you might be saying. Correction – it’s already September. Mid-way through September, might we add, and that means that if you haven’t started planning for your holiday mailers yet, you need to stop puttering around on blogs and get going already! Here’s a little nudge to get you going on the right path:

Aim to Send in Early to Mid-November. You want to get the attention of prospects early, before their mailboxes are overflowing with direct mailers – at which point most of those well-planned pieces will go straight from mailbox to trash bin, never having been seen. Begin prep work on your holiday pieces now, so that you can be sure they are clean, neat and finished by November. Be sure to contact your direct mail company early in the process to set deadlines and goals.

Be Jolly. You may be thinking Football season and bonfires now, but mentally fast forward to Thanksgiving as you prepare your piece. The holiday season is supposed to have a warm, festive feel so make sure your piece reflects that.  Add something fun and interesting to your mailer, or an incredible offer, to standout among all the other shiny glittering offers in the mail box. It is the season of cheer, so give your prospects something to be cheerful about!

Create, Send, Repeat. Repetition is key during the holiday season. Shoppers and customers are busy and distracted with the chaos of the season, so you have to give them a gentle reminder every now and then. If you’re first mailer goes out early, you’ll have plenty of time to send multiple rounds without pestering your prospects.

Befriend the Internet. Using direct mail to drive online traffic is a tried and true effective marketing technique. Be sure to include information about your online presence on your mailer. That way, you’re not only targeting the traditional brick and mortar shoppers, but the internet-savvy demographic, as well. Boom. That’s what we call the DM one-two punch.

How have you started planning for the holidays? Tell us in the comments! 

Color Your Mailer Successful

Your direct mail piece says a lot about your business. Literally – name, contact information, a call-to-action, but it’s also saying something more. Something you may not have even realized yourself. It’s subliminally stirring up an emotion within your prospects. How? Color.

The colors you use on your mailer could be sending a stronger message, or a conflicting one. Don’t believe us? Studiesshow that full-color ads are 26% more likely to be given further attention than their black and white counterparts. So, it’s no wonder that smart marketers use color strategically to enhance their message.

Here’s the breakdown:

Red - Stimulates the appetite and encourages action. Red is often used for restaurants and to target impulse shoppers.

Blue – Although the most popular color, blue is preferred by men. It promotes a sense of productivity and security and is seen as being non-invasive.  

Orange – Want your product or business to seem like a better value? Orange is the way to go.  

Green – Green is primarily associated with health, nature, and, of course, wealth.

Grey – When used in moderation, grey offers a sense of intelligence, conservatism and solidity.

Black – Represents sophistication and power, but can quickly become overwhelming to the senses. Use wisely!

Pink – Pink may just be the most complicated color in the spectrum. It evokes different reactions from men and women and induces various effects. Women feel empowered around the color pink, men become calm and less aggressive. It is used to both calm and energize. Additionally, pasties and sweets “taste better” when served on a pink plate due to the color’s ability to induce sugar cravings.

And two words from the wise:

• If you’re targeting a younger crowd aim for bright, vivid colors. If you’re focused on the elderly, go for subdued hues.
• Choose only a few contrasting colors. The greater the contrast the more impact it will have.

Now that you know the insider secrets, are you sure your colors are saying what you want? If you want your next mailer to have maximum punch using color marketing, talk to us about creating the perfect piece to suit your needs!